Cotton-cleaning apparatus



3 Shets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

s; 1). MURRAY. COTTON CLEANING PPARATUS.

Pate'ntedOct. 8, 1895. R\\

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. D. MURRAY; COTTON CLEANING APPARATUS.

No. 547,671. Patented Oct. 8, 1895.

Zia/6222377 $02, Murray ANDREW EGRAHAM. PHUTOLITNQWASNINGTON. I10.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN D. MURRAY, OF DALLAS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM F. LADD, OF GALVESTON,TEXAS.

COTTON-CLEANING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,671, dated Octobera, 1895. Application filed June 25,1896. I Serial No. 554,030. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN D. MURRAY,a citizen of the United States,residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Cleaning Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of seedcotton cleaners comprising astationary foraminous case or drum having an inlet-opening in the upperside of its small end, a rotary shaft extending centrally through thecase or drum and having a plurality of spirally-arranged beater-arms,and an air-forcing fan arranged at the large end of the foraminous caseand having a discharge-pipe for conveying the cotton to the point whereit is to be deposited or discharged-as, for instance, into gins orgin-feeders.

In the practical use of the former cleaners of the character brieflyreferred to the cotton is delivered to the inlet-opening in the smallend of the foraminous case or drum through the medium ofcotton-elevating mechanism, and the beater-arms on the rotary shaftagitate and move the cotton along the inner surface of the case or drumto and through the large end thereof, Where the fan acts to drive thecotton through the discharge-pipe to the gins, the construction andoperation being such that dirt, dust, and trash are separated from thecotton and driven through the openings or perforations in the case ordrum into the cleaner-room in which the apparatus is located.

In the ordinary use of cotton-cleaners as heretofore constructed aspecial cleaner-room is provided for the cleaner and a cotton conveyeror elevator is arranged in operative connection with the cleaner tofurnish a supply of cotton thereto. The great quantity of dirt anddustdischarged into the cleanerroom is objectionable for many reasons,particularly as it presents a very bad condition for the belts employedto transmit power to the working part of the cleaner and to the cottonconveyor or elevator.

The provision of a conveyor or elevator for raising and delivering theseed-cotton to the cleaner is a mechanical element which increases thecost of the apparatus, and which it is desirable to dispense with. Inmany ginneries it is necessary to employ a number of cleaners, locatedat different points in the building, and in such cases the objections toa cleaner-room are largely increased, in that a separate cleaner-room isemployed for each cotton-cleaner.

The objects of my invention are to avoid the objections hereinbeforealluded to, and to provide a novel, simple, and effective cottoncleaningapparatus which entirely avoids the provision of a special cleaner-room,and which delivers the separated dirt and dust out of the buildingthrough or by means of the blast of a suction-fan, or in a condensedstate by gravity through a suitable conduit to any suitable receptacle,from which it can be carted or transported.

The invention also has for its object to provide new and improved meanswhereby the dirt and dust are effectually separated from the cotton andprevented from being scattered about the building.

The invention also has for its object to provide novel means whereby asuction apparatus serves to carry a continuous flow or stream of cottonfrom the source of supply into the cotton-cleaner, while the work ofcleaning the cotton is performed by the action of beater-arms, and thedirt and dust are discharged either by the blast from a suctionfan or ina condensed state through a suitable conduit. 1

The invention also has for its object to pro vide means for dischargingthe cleaned cotton from a drum arranged in a casing in which a partialvacuum is maintained for the purpose of drawing the cotton into thedrum.

The invention also has for its object to provide novel means whereby asuction apparatus'is utilized to draw cotton into a'cottoncleaner. Thecotton is cleaned in'a partial vacuum produced by the suction apparatus,and the dirt and dust and thecotton are delivered by gravity from thecleaner.

To accomplish all these objects my invention involves the features ofconstruction, the combination or arrangement'of parts, and theprinciples of operation hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isasectional side elevation of sulficientof a cotton-cleaning apparatus toenable my invention to be clearly understood. Fig. 2 is an end elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3,Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a modificationof my invention.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my inventionI will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings,wherein- The numeral 1 indicates a part of a building or factory inwhich my improved cottoncleaning apparatus is arranged.

The numeral 2 indicates a base-frame, from the ends of which rise endframes 3, which support a practicably air-tight casing 4, of any formsuitable for the purpose in hand, but which is here shown assubstantially square in cross-section and composed of layers of boardswith building-paper or other suitable material interposed between thelayers, as will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

Ido not wish to be understood as confining myself to any particularconstruction of airtight casing, as this part of the apparatus can bechanged in form or construction without aifecting the spirit of myinvention. The casing is supported by the end frames 3 and incioses aforaminous case or drum 5 of any suitable construction and form thatwill present throughout its periphery a plurality of openings orperforations for the passage of dirt, dust, or trash. The case or drumis here shown in the form of a frustum of a cone, so that it is taperingand is provided with small and large ends, which are secured to the endsof the inclosing casing 4 to retain the case or drum stationary in thecasing. A rotary shaft 6 extends centrally through the case or drum andis provided at one end with a driving-pulley 7, adapted to be connectedby a belt with any suitable motor. The shaft (1' is provided with aplurality of beater arms or wings 8, extending spirally around the shaftand secured thereto by clamps or by any other suitable devices. Thenumber of beater arms or wings will vary according to the length of thecleaner, butin practice I arrange a beater arm or wing to every sixinches in the length of the shaft. The beater arms or wings are so seton the shaft that all of them constitute in effect a screw, in that theyare set spirally, as before stated. In practice the shaft of the cleaneris preferably of such length as to accommodate about twenty beater armsor wings, and the beater arms or wings are preferably so set as to makea turn about once and a half around the shaft. The beater arms or bladesare each twisted or turned obliquely in a manner similar to the bladesof a propeller-screw, so

that when the shaft is rotated and cotton is fed into the small end ofthe case or drum such cotton will be carried around the internal surfaceof the case or drum and caused to traverse the same toward the large endof the case or drum. In the traversing movementof the cotton the dirt,dust, or trash will be expelled through the openings or perforations inthe case or drum into the inclosingcasing, which latter effectuallyprevents the dirt, dust, or trash gaining access to the room in whichthe apparatus is located. The cotton to be cleaned is delivered into thesmall end of the caseor drum through the medium of a cotton-inlet 8, andthe cleaned cotton is discharged from the large end of the foraminouscase or drum through a cotton-conduit 9, which extends into theinclosing casing 4 and is placed in communication with the interior ofthe case or drum.

The cotton discharge conduit may be square, rectangular, or of any othersuitable shape in cross-section; but it is shown square, and in thelower portion of this conduit is arranged a check-valve 10 of anyconstruction suitable for the purpose,but preferably substantially thesame as the flexible check-valve located in the suspended feeder of thecotton distributing and feeding apparatus described and shown in LettersPatent No. 472,607, issued to me April 12, 1892.

In the lower portion of the inclosing casing 4 is arranged a horizontalconveyer, composed, as here shown, of a worm or screw 12, adapted to berotated by a belt connection 13 with the rotary shaft 6 in such mannerthat when the conveyer is rotated it operates to move the dirt, dust, ortrash along the lower portion of the inclosing-casing to the mouth ofthe suction conduit or pipe, or the mouth of thedischarge-conduithereinafter referred to. The inclosing-casing 4 is at: one end placed incommunication with a suction conduit or pipe 14, having its other end inoperative connection with an air-suction apparatus 15, preferably in theform of an exhaust-fan, so that when the fan is in operation the dirt,dust, or trash separted from the cotton in the faraminous case or drumand deposited into the inclosing casing will be withdrawn from thelatter and discharged at a point outside the building or factorycontaining the cleaner. The air-exhausting apparatus or exhaust-fan alsowithdraws air from within the inclosing-casing, and thereby creates bysuction a partial vacuum therein, which causes air-currents to flow inthe direction of the arrows, Fig. 1, and by this means draws theseed-cotton from the source of supply into the small end of theforaminous case or drum through the cottoninlet 8.

The suction conduit or pipe 14, which con nects the air-exhaustingapparatus or exhaust-fan 15 with the interior of the inclosing casing 4,is provided with a suitable valve 16 not for controlling communicationbetween the air-exhausting apparatus or exhaust-fan and the casing.

In the operation of the cotton-cleaning apparatus the check-valve 1Oprevents air from being drawn into the cleaner through thecotton-delivery conduit 9, and yet permits the cotton to pass out whenthe cotton accumulates within the delivery-conduit 9, and its weightovercomes the external air-pressure on the check-valve. The check-valve10 is closed tight by the pressure of the external air from beneath. Ifit is desired at anytime to permit all the cotton to drop out of thedelivery-conduit 9, the valve 16'is adjusted to close the suctionconduit or pipe 14, and consequently the weight of cotton in thedeliveryconduit 9 will cause the valve 10 to automatically open and thuspermit the cotton to pass out of the delivery-conduit to any desiredplace, as, for example, to the gin-feeders.

The conveyer 12 serves to move the dirt, dust, or trash up to the mouthof the. suction conduit or pipe 14, at which point the aircurrentswithdraw the dirt, dust, or trash, and the latter passes through theair-exhausting apparatus or exhaust-fan to a point outside the buildingcontaining the cleaner. In some instances it may not be desirable todischarge the dirt, dust, or trash into the open air through theair-exhausting apparatus or exhaust-fan 15, and therefore I provide themodified construction of apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein allthe parts are constructed the'same as described with reference to Figs.1, 2, and 3, except that the suctionpipe 14 of the air-exhaustingapparatus or exhaust-fan 15 is placed in communication with the upperportion of the inclosing-casing 4 and a special dirt, dust, or trashdischarge-pipe 17 extends from the inclosing casing 4, preferablyfromthe end opposite the end from which the cotton delivery or dischargeconduit 9 extends. The dirt, dust, or trash discharge-pipe 17 isprovided with a check-valve 18, in all substantial respects the same asthe checkvalve 10, so that when the dirt, dust, or trash accumulates toa certain height in the pipe 17 the weight of the dirt, dust, or trashovercomes the external air-pressure on the valve 18, and the dirt, dust,or trash can descend through the pipe 17 to any desired point.

When the dirt, dust, or trash is discharged by the special conduit orpipe 17, the air-suction conduit or pipe 14 should connect with theupper portion of the inclosing casing 4, as before described, so thatbut a comparatively small quantity of the dirt, dust, or trash expelledfrom the cotton into the inclosing casing will pass through theair-exhausting apparatus or exhaust-fan.

By my invention the dirt, dust, or trash is not permitted-to escape intothe building or factory containing the cleaner, but is confined anddelivered either through the air-exhausting apparatus or exhaust-fan orthrough the special dirt, dust, or trash discharge conduit or pipe 17. w

The action of the air-exhausting apparatus or exhaust-fan is such thatthe cleaner is made to lift its own cotton, and therefore I entirelyavoid the employment of special cotton-clevating mechanism for raisingthe seed-cotton to the cotton-inlet.

The foraminous case or drum may, as before stated, be of anyconstruction suitable for the purpose, but an ordinary wire screen willgive satisfactory results.

It will be observed that in my invention the dirt, dust, or trash isconfined in a small space and that I entirely avoid the use of aconveyer or elevator for raising and delivering the seed-cotton to theforaminous drum. In my improved apparatus the cotton-inlet 8 may takethe seed-cotton direct from the wagon and deliver it into the foraminousdrum, where it is effectually cleaned and the cotton discharged at onepoint, while the dirt, dust, or trash are carried off at another point.

A cotton-cleaner embodying my invention entirely prevents dirt and dustfrom being scattered about the building, and renders it possible toavoid the provision of a special cleaner-room, and enables severalcleaners to be placed in one building and located at different partsthereof. 1

In my improved cleaner the dirt and dust are deposited inside of theair-tight casing,

from which the dirt and dust are continuously removed in such mannerthat the belts used to 1 oo transmit power to the working parts of thecotton-cleaner do not operate in a cloud of dust, as is the case withordinary cotton-cleaners.

An important advantage attained by my improved apparatus is that it doesnot require a special cleaner-room, but may be located at any convenientpoint in the building at any suitable height, so that the discharge-pipemay be of considerable length. A special cleaner-room is necessary withthe ordinary cotton-cleaner, and, moreover, in the use of the latter thecleaner-room becomes filled with dust, which presents a very badcondition for the belts employed in connection with the Working parts ofthe cleaning apparatus.

In my improved cleaner the cotton is delivered into a foraminous drumand is whipped,

and carried around and around against the in- IIO dust are dischargedgently instead of violently and passed through a conduit or pipe to anydesired point or to any receptacle, from which the dirt and dust can becarted or transported.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationin acotton cleaning apparatus, of a foraminous case, or drum,a casinginclosing the case, or drum, a cotton inlet opening into one end of thecase, or drum, a cotton delivery conduit leading from the opposite endof the case, or drum, and provided interiorly in its lower portion witha self-acting check-valve, means for agitating the cotton and moving thesame longitudinally along the case, ordrum, from the inlet end to theoutlet end thereof, and an air exhausting apparatus arranged inoperative connection with the interior of the casing and operating toexhaust air therefrom and thereby create suction which draws theseed-cotton into the case, or drum, through the cotton inlet,substantially as described.

2. Thecombination in acotton cleaning apparatus, of a foraminous case,or drum,a casing inclosing the case, or drum, a cotton inlet openinginto one end of the case, or drum, a cotton delivery conduit leadingfrom the opposite end of the case, or drum, and provided interiorly inits lower end portion with a selfacting check-valve, a rotary beaterhaving spirally arranged beater arms and operating to agitate the cottonand move the same longitudinally in the case, or drum, from the inletend to the outlet end thereof, and air exhausting apparatus arranged inoperative connection with the interior of the casing and operating toexhaust air therefrom and thereby create suction which draws theseedcotton into the case, or drum, through the cotton inlet,substantially as described.

3. The combination in a cotton cleaning apparatus, of a foraminous case,or drum, a casing inclosing the case, or drum, a cotton inlet openinginto one end of the case, or drum, a cotton delivery conduit leadingfrom the opposite end of the case, or drum, and provided interiorly inits lower end portion with aselfacting check-valve, a rotary beaterhaving spirally arranged beater arms and operating to agitate the cottonand move the same longitudinally in the case, or drum, from the inletend to the outlet end thereof, means for moving the separated dirt, dustor trash along the lower portion of the casing toward one end thereof,and air exhausting apparatus arranged in operative connection with theinterior of the casing and operating to exhaust air therefrom andthereby create suction which draws the seed-cotton into the case or drumthrough the cotton inlet, substantially as described.

a. The combination in acotton cleaning apparatus, of a closed casing, aforaminous drum arranged in the casing, a cotton inlet for deliveringcotton into one end of the drum, a cotton discharge conduitleading fromthe opposite end of the drum, a self-acting check valve arranged at thelower end portion of the cotton discharge conduit, a rotary beaterlocated within the drum and comprising spirally arranged beater arms formoving the cotton longitudinally from the receiving to the delivery endof the drum, a conveyor for moving the separated dust, dirt or trash inthe casing toward one end thereof, and an air exhausting apparatusconnected with the easing and operating to exhaust air therefrom anddeliver the same outside said casing, and creating suction which drawsthe seed cotton into the drum through the said cotton inlet,substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination in a cotton-cleaning apparatus, of a casing, aforaminous drum arranged within the casing, means for agitating thecotton and moving the same longitudinally in the drum, a cotton-inletfor delivering cotton into one end of the drum,a cottondischarge conduitleading from the opposite end of the drum, a checl -valvelocated in thecotton-discharge conduit, an air-exhausting apparatus connected with thecasing and operating to exhaust air therefrom and deliver the sameoutside said casing, and creating suction which draws the seed cottoninto the drum through the said cotton inlet, and a dirt conveyorarranged in the lower portion of the casing and serving to continuouslyconvey the dirt, dust, or trash along the bottom of the casing to asuitable discharge point, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a cotton-cleaningapparatus, of a casing, a rotarybeater having spirally arranged beater arms for moving the cottonlongitudinallyin the drum, a foraminous drum arranged in the casing, acottoninlet for delivering cotton into one end of the drum, a cottondischarge conduit leading from the opposite end of the drum, acheckvalve arranged in the cotton-discharge conduit, an air-exhaustingapparatus connected with the interior of the casing and operating toexhaust air therefrom and deliver the same outside said casing, andcreating suction which draws the seed cotton into the drum through thesaid cotton inlet, adirt-conveyer arranged in the bottom of the casingand operating to convey the dirt and dust toward one end of the casing,and a dirt-discharge conduit into which the dirt and dust are deliveredby the conveyer, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a cotton-cleaning apparatus, of a foraminous caseor drum, a casing inclosing the case or drum, a shaft ex tending throughthe case or drum and having a plurality of attached beaterarms or wings,a cotton-inlet opening into the case or drum,

a cotton-discharge conduit leading from the case or drum, anairexhausting apparatus arranged in operative connection with theinterior of the casing and operating to exhaust air therefrom andthereby create suction which draws the cotton into the case or drumthrough the cotton-inlet, and a conveyor arranged in the casing outsidethe drum for moving the separated dirt, dust, or trash to-

